Shuttle box for looms



June 26, 1934. J. R. MlLLER 1,964,166

SHUTTLE BOX FOR LOOMS Filed Feb. 2. 1932 Fig.1.

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Patented June 26, 1934 HE!) STATES PATENT OFFICE SHUTTLE BOX FOR LOOMS Mass.

Application February 2, 1932, Serial No. 590,416

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a shuttle box construction, together with a means for limiting the movement of the shuttle outward when the shuttle is projected into the box. While the invention is applicable to any type of loom, it is particularly applicable to that type in which the shuttle cannot readily be removed from and placed in the shuttle box transversely of the box, as, for example, in connection with a loom provided with an electro-dynamic picking mechanism such as broadly disclosed in the application of Bowles and Smith, Serial No. 530,716, filed April 16, 1931. The invention, in fact, is useful in any type of loom employing a shuttle when the shuttle propelling mechanism does not interfere with the removal and replacement of the shuttle through the outer end of the shuttle box.

The invention has for its object to provide a shuttle box open at both ends so that the shuttle may move into and out of the box at either end, to provide such a construction in the case of a shuttle provided with a laterally extending fin, and to provide such a construction in which means are provided on the shuttle box at the outer end thereof to limit the outward movement of the shuttle when picked or projected into the shuttle box, and to provide for the movement of this limiting means out of the way so as to permit the shuttle to be placed in and removed I from the box endwise through its open outer end.

These and other objects and features of the invention will appear more fully from the accompanying description and drawing and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

The drawing illustrates a shuttle box construction at one side of the loom and, as the construction is the same at both sides of the loom, this is sufficient. The shuttle box and cooperating shuttle are here illustrated of the broad type employed in a loom in which the picking and checking mechanism is of the electro-dynamic type disclosed in the application of Bowles and Smith aforesaid.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a construction embodying the invention at the left-hand side of the loom.

Fig. 2 is a view partially in transverse section of the construction at the outer end of the shuttle box showing the stop gate in closed position with the nose of the shuttle abutting it.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the stop gate swung aside and the shuttle extended through the outer end of the shuttle box.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail in vertical cross section on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

In the construction illustrated, the bottom of the shuttle box is formed by the plate 1 on the lay 2 of the loom, the rear wall is formed by the upright 3, while the front wall is formed by the core sections 4 and 5 of the electro-dynamic mechanism. The shuttle 3 is provided with a laterally extending fin 7 which extends out laterally through the front wall of the shuttle box through the narrow space separating the core sections 4 and 5.

This type of construction serves to exemplify one in which the shuttle cannot be placed in the shuttle box nor removed from the shuttle box transversely thereof. It is necessary, therefore, that the shuttle shall enter the box and pass out of the box through the end thereof, both during the operation of the loom and during the operation of hand removal and replacement.

It is common in looms to remove and replace the shuttle by hand through the inner end of the shuttle box. When the shuttle is removed, it is pushed into the shed from the shuttle box and then withdrawn from the shed past the shuttle box. When the shuttle is replaced, it is first slipped into the shed and then slid into the box. But this operation is difficult and undesirable, especially when the shuttle is of the abnormal length which has been devised for and is capable of use with an electro-dynamic picking mechanism, especially also when, as in the illustrated case, the shuttle is provided with a laterally projecting fin, and whenever, as is usual, there is a limited space between the inner end of the shuttle box and the shed. The operation of placing the shuttle first into the shed and then sliding it into the box or sliding it from the box into the shed and then removing it from the shed is always an awkward one and always involves the danger of injury to the warps, and this is especially true when the shuttle is of the length or is provided with the fin construction preferably employed with the electro-dynamic picking mechanism.

In the specific construction illustrated, the shuttle box at its outer end is provided with a hood shown generally at 8 made of sheet metal and secured by the screws 9 to the rear wall 3. This hood presents the back plate 10, the top plate 11 and the bottom plate 12, while the end of the hood is formed by bending the top plate 11 downward at 13 and the bottom plate 12 upward at 14 and cutting away these bent portions to provide between them a large aperture opening at the same side as the front wall of the shuttle box, or that wall through which the fin 7 of the shuttle passes. This aperture in the end of the hood is of sufficient size and open laterally so as to permit the shuttle with its fin to be placed in and removed from the shuttle box endwise through the outer end thereof.

It is important that means he provided to limit the outward movement of the shuttle when projected into the box during the operation of the loom. For this purpose a stop gate is provided movably mounted on the shuttle box and normally acting to limit the outward movement of the shuttle but capable of being moved aside when desired to permit the removal and replacement of the shuttle from and into the box through the outer end thereof. In the construction illustrated a sheet metal stop gate 15 is hinged at 16 to the hood 10 in the rear outer corner. This gate is provided with a plurality of layers of rawhide or other suitable material 17 secured'to the inner face thereof. A spring 18 on the pintle or hinge axis 16 acts normally to swing and hold the gate against the inner surface of the outer end of the hood. When in this position the upper and lower edges of the gate abut the fibre fillers l9 and the entire aperture in the end of the hood is closed. Thus an efficient stop for limiting the movement of the shuttle when projected or picked into the box is normally present. When, however, it is desired to remove the shuttle from or replace it in the box,

Q then the gate is readily swung aside against the action of the spring 18 into a position as shown in Fig. 3, thus freeing the aperture at the end of the hood and enabling the shuttle with its fin readily to pass in either direction through the aperture and into and out of the outer end of the shuttle box.

There is thus shown one specific construction embodying a stop at the outer end of the shuttle box extending across the path of movement of the shuttle nose to limit the movement of the shuttle when projected into the box and in which this stop is mounted for movement out of the path of the shuttle so that the shuttle can be withdrawn from the box through the outer end thereof and replaced in the box through the same end. This broad feature of the invention is not therefore limited to details of construction disclosed nor otherwise than as set forth in the claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a loom employing a shuttle and wherein the shuttle propelling mechanism does not interfere with the removal and replacement of the shuttle through the outer end of the shuttle box,

a shuttle box fixedly mounted in line with the end portion of the path of movement of the shuttle and open at both ends to permit endwise movement of the shuttle into and out of the box at either end, and a stop at the outer end of the shuttle box extending across the path of movement of the shuttle nose to limit the movement of the shuttle when projected into the box and mounted for movement out of the path of the shuttle thus to enable the shuttle to be withdrawn from and replaced in the box through the outer end thereof.

2. In a loom employing a shuttle and wherein I the shuttle propelling mechanism does not interfere with the removal and replacement of the shuttle through the outer end of the shuttle box, a shuttle box fixedly mounted in line with the end portion of the path of movement of the shuttle and open at both ends to permit endwise movement of the shuttle into and out of the box at either end, and a stop pivotally mounted at the outer end of the shuttle box, normally extending across the path of movement of the shuttle nose, held against outward movement thus to limit the movement of the shuttle when projected into the box, and movable on its pivot out of the path of the shuttle to enable the shuttle to be withdrawn from and replaced in the box through the outer end thereof.

3. In a loom, a shuttle box having a hood at its outer end apertured to enable the shuttle to be withdrawn from and replaced in the box endwise through said aperture, and a stop gate hinged to said hood and normally held against the inner wall of the apertured outer end of the hood to limit the movement of the shuttle when projected into the box, the said gate when swung away from the hood end leaving the aperture unobstructed to the passage of the shuttle therethrough.

4. In a loom, a shuttle box having a hood at its outer end apertured to enable the shuttle to be withdrawn from and replaced in the box endwise through said aperture, a stop gate hinged to said hood, and a spring acting to hold the gate against the inner wall of the apertured outer end of the hood to limit the movement of the shuttle when projected into the box, the said gate when swung against the spring away from the hood end leaving the aperture unobstructed to the passage of the shuttle therethrough.

5. In a loom, operating with a shuttle which has a fin extended laterally from the shuttle body to co-act with an electro-dynamic picking mechanism, a shuttle box having one wall slotted throughout its length to provide a path for the fin and having the box and slot open at both ends to permit endwise movement of the shuttle and its fin into and out of the box at either end.

6. In a loom, operating with a shuttle which has a fin extended laterally from the shuttle body to co-act with an electro-dynamic picking mechanism, a shuttle box having one wall slotted throughout its length to provide a path for the fin with the box and slot open at both ends to permit endwise movement of the shuttle and its fin into and out of the box at either end and to enable the shuttle with its fin to be withdrawn from and replaced in the box endwise through the outer end thereof, and a stop at the outer end of the shuttle box extending across the path of movement of the shuttle nose to limit the movement of the shuttle when projected into the box and mounted for movement out of the path of the shuttle thus to enable the shuttle to be withdrawn from and replaced in the box through the outer end thereof.

7. In a loom, operating with a shuttle which has a fin extended laterally from the shuttle body to co-act with an electro-dynamic picking mechanism, a shuttle box having one wall slotted throughout its length to provide a path for the fin with the box and slot open at both ends to permit endwise movement of the shuttle and its fin into and out of the box at either end and to enable the shuttle with its fin to be withdrawn from and replaced in the box endwise through the outer end thereof, and a stop pivotally mounted at the outer end of the shuttle box, normally extending across the path of movement of the shuttle nose, held against outward movement thus to limit the movement of the shuttle when projected into the box, and movable on its pivot out of the path of the shuttle to enable the shuttle to be withdrawn from and replaced in the box through the outer end thereof.

8. In a loom employing a shuttle and wherein the shuttle propelling mechanism does not interfere with the removal and replacement of the shuttle through the outer end of the shuttle box, a shuttle box fixedly mounted in line with the 

